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Sunday, August 31, 2014

"Cinthia
Brumfeild was born in the state of Georgia on Dec. 12, 1804 and moved to Pike
County, Miss. At the age of 8 years and remained there until death. She married
Davis Brumfield in 1824 and reared a large family. He died in 1864. She united
with the Union Church in June 1850 and remained a faithful member of that
church until her death. She died July 10, 1884. She leaves 7 children, 1
brother, 2 sisters, and many grand-children and great grand-children."

Thursday, August 28, 2014

These delicate handkerchiefs were sent to my maternal grandmother, Helen F Coyle, in November 1918 by Private
Herman L. Englander: HQrs Co. 358th Infantry: Amr. Exp. Forces, France. He wrote to my grandmother from France, asking to see her once he returned to New York City. I do not know if they did see each other but he was not the man she did marry in 1921. However, she did save these precious items all her life. They are now so fragile that you can almost see through the fabric.

Mary Isabella was, according to the family, “a school
teacher and well educated.”[5]
The 1840 census supports this, showing one person involved in a learned profession.[6]

Mary and her husband lived in Wayne Co., OH and raised
eight sons there. The 1860 census shows seven of their eight sons: Thomas,
John, William, Marion, Abraham Martin, Franklin & David.[7]
Youngest son, Edwin, was not born until the following year.[8]

Four sons served in the Civil War: Thomas Jefferson
Mark, John Mark, William Mark & Marion Mark. Two did not return. John Mark
died in December 1862 and Thomas Jefferson Mark died a month later, in January
1863.[9]

In 1870 Abraham and Mary Isabella had three sons still
living at home and attending school: Franklin, David & Edwin. Their real
estate was valued at $1,600 & personal estate at $500.[10]

In
1872 her husband died. He had been disabled for some time before his death. Mary
Isabella applied to the government for a pension. In her statement she said she
was the widow of Abraham Mark who died 7 April 1872 and the mother of John and
Thomas Jefferson Mark who died as soldiers in the Civil War. Because her
husband had been disabled and unable to support his family she was dependent on
support from her two sons. She had not remarried since the death of her late
husband. Several neighbors and doctors testified to fact that Abraham was
disabled and unable to support the family and that sons John and Thomas sent
money home. Mary Isabella was eventually paid $12 a month.[11]

In
1880 she lived next door to her son Abraham Martin Mark and his family.[12]
In 1900 she was living with Abraham & family.[13]

My
paternal grandmother told me the story of Mary Isabella’s ‘almost’ death. Mary
Isabella was ill and fell into a coma. Her family thought she had died. They
made arrangements for her burial. “She could understand and knew everything
they said but she couldn't move a muscle.” The doctor came, saw sweat
glistening on her forehead and told the shocked family that she was still
alive. According to my grandmother Mary came out of the coma and lived another
ten years.[14]

My 3rd
great grandmother actually died 19 January 1904. She left her property to her
son, Abraham Martin Mark and her money to her other sons. Her will said,

"I
give, devise, and bequeath to my son Abraham M. Mark all my real estate
consisting of a House and Lot in the Village of Reedsburg, O. and known as Lot
No. 10 and all the Household goods, Furniture, Provisions and chattels being
therein and in my possession at the time of my death. Second, my will is that all my just debts and
funeral expenses shall be paid out of all Notes or Bonds, Moneys, or any Army
credits which I may have to my credit at the time of my death. After the above
just debts and funeral expenses are paid out of my credits the money remaining
shall be divided in equal shares among my children except my son Abraham M.
Mark who shall not receive any share of the said remaining credits."[15]

Information
at the Wooster Public Library in Ohio tells us that Mary Isabella Mark is
buried at Reedsburg Cemetery. I visited the cemetery and found her husband’s
tombstone but I did not find one for her.

Friday, August 22, 2014

My
maternal grandmother, Helen Coyle, received a letter from a World War I soldier
at the close of the war. The letter is dated ‘Somewhere in France, Nov. 15, 1918’,
96 years ago.

The
soldier was Herman L. Englander, a private in the War; HQrs Co. 358th Infantry: Amr. Exp. Forces, France. He writes to his ‘dear
Helen’:

I take
pleasure in writing to you and to let you know that I have not forgotten you. I
do hope you are well and enjoying yourself. I suppose everyone in New York is
celebrating the great victory. It sure was great news when we heard of the news
and the big guns ceased firing. I am feeling as fine as silk and am pretty
happy now. We are still at the front but are expected to get released soon. Our
division is about the first to start for home being that we were at the front
at the time. I have a Hun helmet which you have so often asked for and I will
explain it to you when I get back to the states. Please do not let my sister
know that I am coming home. Would like to know where I could communicate with
you when I arrive in N.Y. I hope in my last letter I have written to you on Oct
31, if there was anything I really did say anything that hurt your feelings
which I might have said something which I do not recollect. I would like to
send you my sincerest apologies. Now dear Helen let me know if I really have as
I do not want to hurt your feeling for anything in the world. The weather over
here is great for the last three or four days only that it is pretty cold over
here. We are stopping at a town that was a German concentration camp once. They
sure did leave an awful amount of refuge which we had to police up. They also left
several barrels of sauerkraut and onions pickled also plenty of spuds. We have
sauerkraut and spuds every day now. We now do drilling every day until we start
back for the rear. I have written to you several times but I think my letters
must of got lost on their way over. Let me know dear Helen if you have sent me
those magazines and your picture? I hope you will enjoy your Thanksgiving
dinner in peace. Will put my letter to a close now as I have nothing more to
say that would be of interest to you at present and hoping to hear from you
soon. I close and with my best and sincere wishes to you for good luck, health
and happiness and may all three wishes be with you throughout your entire life.
With my love and kisses to you. I remain as ever and may this letter reach you
safe and find you in the best of health. I am as ever yours in remembrances forever.

Herman also sent lace handkerchiefs to Helen. I have photographed them & will post the photos on Thursday, August 28.There
is no further information on the relationship between Helen and Herman. There
is no way to know what kind of misunderstanding occurred between them or if
Helen ever saw him after his return from the war. Although they did not marry
my grandmother did carefully save his letter.

If
anyone has a connection to Herman it would be great to hear from you.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

My paternal grandmother[1]
and her siblings[2], [3]
all pointed to Abraham Mark as their paternal grandfather. They knew dates
& places. However, no one knew his parents. I have strong sources leading
me to Abraham but the Mark line stops there.

Abraham Mark married Mary Isabella Heffeflinger. Both
were born in Pennsylvania but were living in Wayne Co., Ohio when they were
married on 21 February 1839.[4],[5]
My grand uncle Clarence Mark claimed Abraham had a log cabin where the Wooster
Court House now stands.[6]

Abraham and Mary Isabella remained in Wayne Co., OH for
the rest of their lives, raising eight sons. They can be found there in a long
list of census reports as their family grows. In 1860 Abraham is shown as a ‘master
carpenter’.[7]

Four of their
sons served in the Civil War: Thomas Jefferson Mark, John Mark, William Mark
& Marion Mark. Two did not return. John Mark died in December 1862 and
Thomas Jefferson Mark died a month later, in January 1863.[8]

In 1870 Abraham and Mary Isabella had three sons still
living at home and attending school: Franklin, David & Edwin. Their real
estate was valued at $1,600 & personal estate at $500.[9]

W. C. Moore, MD was the family’s physician for many
years. He treated Abraham frequently for spinal trouble, trouble with his
Kidneys, and rheumatism. His "frequent ailments were so severe as to finally
disable him entirely."[10]
Abraham died 7 April 1872 from ‘lung fever’.[11]
He is buried in Reedsburg Cemetery.[12]

Sunday, August 17, 2014

"Seletia
E. Smith, wife of W. L. Smith, was born June 9th, 1850, united with
the Baptist Church April, 1867, died January 16th, 1902. She leaves
a husband, six children, four brothers, four sisters … She was a member of
Centerville Baptist Church at the time of her death. Her funeral service was
conducted by Eld. W. J. Fortinberry."

Saturday, August 16, 2014

This week's topic at Sepia Saturday is Letters Home. The photos shows soldiers diligently writing home. I just had to add to the collection not because I have a photo of a soldier to share but because I have a World War I letter written by a soldier. This letter was not written to Mother & Father. It was written to a sweetheart.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Sit & relax with a book of family history or gather the family around the bench for photos.

Recently my daughter & I went to the College of Dupage, Illinois to see an exhibit at the Cleve Carney Art Gallery. We saw this bench in the garden and I had to snap a photo to share with other genealogists.

Martha married Edwin Barksdale Alford, son of Jacob
Alford & Elizabeth Bryant, on 20 December 1818 in Pike, MS.[2],[3]
In 1820 they were in Pike, MS with a young son.[4]
They would stay in the area and become the parents of 13 children.

A grandchild wrote:

Grandmother was a well-chosen wife for him. Married at the age of
sixteen years, she was mother before she was eighteen, had twelve children, all
of whom lived to be grown except one that died in infancy.[5]

Two of Martha’s brothers lived near Martha & Edwin. Wyatt
Smith & Calvin Smith also lived in in the Simmonsville & Progress area.[6]The 1850 Census report shows Edwin
as a 58 year old farmer. Martha still had 5 children at home. Sons, Jeptha and
Seaborn were farm hands.[7]

Martha
& Edwin are buried in the Edwin B. Alford Cemetery. The small cemetery is
on a gravel road, one and one-half miles southwest of Silver Springs Baptist
Church and 3/4 mile north of the Louisiana line. "Martha Smith Wife of Edwin B. Alford
BORN Mar. 25, 1802 DIED Aug. 8, 1861".[8] It is directly by the roadside on a small
hill. Visiting the cemetery in August
1997, it was difficult to see the gravestones from just a short distance away
because of the weeds and brush grown up all around and through the site.

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Genealogy, research & my family's history are the focus of this blog. Read about my latest adventures in uncovering more about our ancestors. Contact me to share & compare! Colleencgbp [at] nycap.rr.com

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